Teen Trauma Therapy in Los Angeles: EMDR and More

After a frightening or painful experience, many teens seem fine on the surface while sleep, grades, friendships or mood quietly change. Trauma therapy helps a teen process what happened at a pace that feels safe, so it stops running the show. Blackburn Clinical Services offers one-on-one trauma therapy for teens 13 to 17 in our West Los Angeles office or by secure video for clients located in California, using approaches such as EMDR, Brainspotting (in our office only), CBT, DBT and ACT, with family sessions for parents.

Who this page is for

Parents of high schoolers ages 13 to 17 across Los Angeles, including families at private and independent high schools, Catholic high schools, boarding schools and college prep schools, after a single event or after stress that built up over time. For adults, see trauma and PTSD treatment.

How common is trauma in teens?

More common than most parents expect. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network reports that two-thirds of children in the U.S. are exposed to a traumatic event before age 16. Examples NCTSN lists include serious accidents, natural disasters, violence in the family or community, school shootings and mass violence, discrimination, the sudden or violent death of a loved one and life-threatening illness. NCTSN also notes that trauma can lead to attention difficulties, academic problems, sleep problems, anxiety, depression and PTSD.

Signs a teen may be struggling after trauma

• Sleep changes or nightmares. Trouble falling asleep, waking at night or not wanting to sleep alone.
• Avoiding reminders. Refusing to drive past a place, skipping a class, a team or a friend group connected to what happened.
• On edge. Jumpy, irritable or quick to anger, or startled by small things.
• School slipping. Trouble concentrating, forgetting assignments or a drop in grades in a teen who used to manage.
• Numb or withdrawn. Saying they “do not care” about things that used to matter, or pulling away from family.
• Risk taking or substance use. Vaping, drinking or cannabis to quiet difficult feelings. See outpatient help for teen vaping, cannabis and alcohol use.
• Guilt or shame. Blaming themselves for what happened or for how they reacted.

The National Institute of Mental Health notes that most people recover from early trauma reactions over time. It is worth getting an assessment when reactions last for weeks, get worse, or keep your teen from school, sleep, friends or activities. Your teen does not need a PTSD diagnosis to benefit from trauma-focused care.

Trauma therapy approaches we use with teens

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). A structured therapy that uses guided eye movements or other bilateral stimulation while your teen briefly focuses on a memory, so it carries less charge. It does not require retelling every detail.
• Brainspotting. A focused, body-aware approach that uses where your teen looks to help process distressing experiences.
• CBT. Helps your teen notice and change the thoughts that keep fear, guilt or avoidance going.
• DBT skills. Practical tools for intense emotions, grounding and getting through hard moments without making things worse.
• ACT. Helps your teen make room for painful feelings while moving toward what matters to them, like school, sports and friends.

Your teen’s therapist chooses and paces these based on your teen, starting with safety and coping skills before working on memories.

What therapy at Blackburn looks like

• An assessment with your teen and with you, covering what happened, sleep, mood, school, substances and safety.
• One-on-one therapy in our office or by secure video for clients located in California, scheduled Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
• Family sessions so parents understand trauma reactions and know how to respond at home.
• Psychiatric care can be arranged if an evaluation for medication is appropriate, for example for sleep, anxiety or depression.
• More support if needed through the Blackburn Concierge Outpatient Program, typically 3 to 5 hours a week of one-on-one therapy, with no groups.
• School. We talk with your teen’s school only with your written permission, and can provide documentation for your teen’s school when clinically appropriate.

What parents can do now

• Keep routines steady. Regular meals, sleep and school schedules help a teen feel safe again.
• Let your teen lead the conversation. Make it clear you are open to talking, without pushing for details.
• Expect ups and downs. Anniversaries, news coverage and reminders can bring reactions back.
• Limit replaying. Repeated videos or posts about the event can keep stress high.
• Take care of yourself. Parents are often affected too, and your calm helps your teen.
• Call for an assessment if reactions are lasting or getting worse.

Still affected by the 2025 wildfires? See therapy for Pacific Palisades residents and families. Coping with a death? See grief and loss in teens.

When to get urgent help

If your teen is in danger right now, call 911. If your teen talks about wanting to die, is harming themselves or you are worried they might, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time of day. Parents can call 988 too, for advice about what to do next.

Curious about one of the trauma approaches we use? Read what Brainspotting is and how it differs from EMDR.

Questions

Does my teen have to talk about every detail of what happened?

No. Good trauma therapy moves at your teen’s pace, and approaches like EMDR and Brainspotting do not require retelling every detail.

What is EMDR, and is it used with teens?

EMDR is a structured therapy that uses guided eye movements or other bilateral stimulation while a person briefly focuses on a memory, helping it feel less distressing. We use it with teens as well as adults when it fits the situation.

How soon after an event should my teen start therapy?

Most people recover from early reactions over time. If reactions last for weeks, get worse, or keep your teen from school, sleep or friends, call for an assessment. Call sooner if you are worried about safety.

Will parents know what is discussed?

Family sessions keep you involved, and your teen also has private time with their therapist so they can speak openly.

Will you tell my teen’s school?

Only with your written permission. When clinically appropriate, we can provide documentation for your teen’s school.

More for families: therapy for private school students, teen anxiety treatment and teen depression signs parents miss.

Get started

You can also email info@blackburnclinical.com or contact us. Parents usually make the first call; your teen does not need to be on the line.

Sources

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Understanding Child Trauma and the NCTSN (fact sheet)
• National Institute of Mental Health: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline